The return
The helicopter ride was full of tension. As you can gather Alder and Nicta facing each other.
Nicta could feel her heartbeat pressing up against her rib cage. The hands are sweaty, as she holds onto Raelle, her lap, lazily. It wasn't anything to do with Raelle but with her company. Alder hadn't stopped staring at her, for the past thirty minutes.
"Are you going to stop that"
Alder raised her brow, "stop what"
Nicta finally meet Alder eyes, "the staring"
Alder leans back, "oh, I didn't realise I was doing that". And averted her eyes.
She looked down at her daughter, Raelle lay her breath a little more even then before. Still worried, same. The little adrenaline that she had finally stopped. The pain hit her full speed, like nothing before and then she was out.
This wasn't the first time Raelle had this happen. It was like this after she was rescued from the Slumber party.
"So, when we get back, we need to question you, to go over some details. About the Spree"
Breaking out of her thoughts, Nicta looked at her with a grown.
"What"
"I know of Raelle's ability to force people to tell the truth and do stuff. But we need a record. Of the army questioning you and Willa."
"That sounds reasonable"
Nicta removed a few fallen hairs out of Raelle's face.
"Did you know about the Spree doings"
“Not the modern doing. I lost interest in there doing after Willa took over”
Sarah nobbed along with that. Nicta prayed that Sarah would ask her, how she is doing. If she found love. How did Raelle and her meet/ find each other? Just ask me anything but the spree Sarah. She prays to herself, hopeful the goddess will help.
“Why did you leave the Spree?” Alder said.
With a loud groan, "Why is it always about the Spree with you. You couldn’t ask how I was doing. Or what I'm doing in life. Oh no, not you. You only, what to know about the spree and only the spree. Your intelligence sucks."
Alder sat up straight.
After a little time and a few calming breaths, Nicta spoke, "Alder, I will say this once.” she looks up from playing with Raelle hair. “You're not questioning me. About this, it's your and Petra's fault that I went rogue. It was Willa's actions that forced me to leave the spree. And it was Raelle doing that brought me back. The only person that will ask questions is Tally Craven. I hear she is a powerful knower, and a truth seeker."
"She is a cadet," Alder burst out.
"Then have the president, you. Necro and medical to be witnessed. To the interrogation because that would, it is. Plus for me to be forced into talking about a difficult past. I need witnesses to make sure everyone stays true."
Sarah looked away, shame covering her face.
“Tally Craven or know one”
“Can we discuss this later”
“No, you made the decision. Know. we have.” she looked over at one of the biddies “How until we land”
“Six minutes” one of them closest to Alder said.
She looked back at Alder, “you have six minutes. If you want. Information I might or might not have in my head.”
With that they just sat in silence. If Nicta talks now about anything with her, she most probably yell at her. Get all her anger out. Might bring the Helicopter down.
She chuckles to herself. She doesn’t care that some of them looked her way when she did. Her only care is that Raelle was ok.
Out of nowhere Raelle sat up, panting rolled off Nicta's lap and onto the floor of the helicopter. Her body screamed at her to not move anymore. But her mind raced.
Nicta placed her hand on her shoulder, only to get her attention. Raelle screamed at the contact and moved away thinking she was back in her hell. Along move a little before others scream but if pain passes her lips. Her back was resting against the seat where Alder was sitting. Sarah to her left.
"Hay, Raelle" Nicta her voice was softer than Alder had ever heard.
Raelle looks up completely terrified, out of mind, not understanding where she was. The pain in her body, too much to bare. Almost passing out.
"Tell three things that you can see and touch".
With a groan of pain, Raelle touches a bit of fabric. Not realising it was Alder's trouser leg.
"Fabric" she forced herself to say.
"Ok, that one, can you give me another one?" Nicta's voice staying soft.
Raelle moved her left hand a little more. And touch a bolt that lines the floor of the Helicopter. "Bolt" she says again forcefully.
"That good, one more"
Raelle turns her head toward Nicta. Tears in her eyes.
"It hurt too much"
With that Nicta gets on the floor. And quickly and clearly picked up Raelle onto her lap. And sat back where she was sitting. She sat in away that allowed Raelle to burry her face away, her right side facing Alder. Something she had learnt that helped Raelle calm down. Form whatever emotions are running around in her head.
"I got you"
Alder looks over them and notices something troubling. A very dark Stan that seems to be spreading. She leans down and with a confused look. She left Raelle top.
And there for all to see an inch long cut.
“She is bleeding” Alder says, meeting Nicta's eyes.
With asking anything more, or what caused this. Alder looked over to her biddies. "Help me"
One of her buddies is known for her healing abilities. Moved to help, Alder dealt with Raelle injured. Nicta quickly stopped them. With a death glare.
The biddies spoke, “her breathing is bad. If we don’t deal with it now. It could get worse.”
With a heavy sigh. "Fine, but you might be careful. She had severe nerve damage, when moving her limbs, the pain is overwhelming it can cause her to have an episode, flashback."
“She has PTSD”
“Yes, with her Chronic pain caused by her nerve damage”
“Well she doesn't need to move from her spot. So I think that's fine, just need to stop the bleeding. When we get to Fort Salem the fixer will do the rest.”
Nicta finally looks down at the wound. As the fixers placed their hand over it.
"Raelle, that over the shiner mark"
Raelle looks at Nicta with red Stan eyes. "Willa's welcome"
As the fixer begins to do their work, Raelle's body becomes heavy. And Nicta knew she was past out with the pain, finally knocking her out.
*****
Abigail, Tally, Libba and the remaining Cadet call climb out of the Helicopter. Know one spoke. All of them quickly go into three cars. And together they drove toward Fort Salem.
Once they arrived, all of them were ordered to remain in the training room. Where Many beds and food had been set up for them. So one by one there could be questions on what happened. Once that was done they could return to their rooms.
“How long do we have to stay here”
“I don’t know,” Abigail replied to Tally.
“I'm just thankful that our Parents can't see us.” Libba chimed in as she sat beside Grey.
Abigail looks over at her, “I think after the questioning or debriefing us. Or whatever you may call it, is done. But don’t worry about him, he shouldn’t be allowed to enter still”
“You're wrong,” Grey said.
Everyone looks at her, a little worried with the news.
“He could enter if Libba was in danger or had been in danger at some point. That is the only loophole I could find.”
That sent a shiver down everyone's spine, that know of Libba's story.
“Have you took, your partners yet”
“Scylla, not Raelle”
With wide eyes Abigail stormed over to her.
“You know Raelle right, how crazy protective she can be”
Before she could say anything else Libba shouted, “but she died. That explosion, no one could have survived that”
Everyone gathered together, the sadness of their loss. Weighing them down.
***
It had been a good hour since they arrived when the doors opened to the room. And standing there was another then Bells and Olly. Libba wiped her eyes and got up, meeting them halfway.
“What wrong, why aren't you with Scylla”
With a shy smile Olly responded, “She is in surgery. And before you ask, want happen to Scylla. They may have found a solution to her weak knee. The surgery is to replace her knee. And hopefully she could walk normally again with little trouble.”
“That the best new have had all day”
Bells this whole time had been making eyes at Tally, which also checked over Abigail and with an ‘excuse me’. He left them there to talk.
Bells sat beside Tally, placed his hand on her knee and gave her a little squeeze. He then looked over at Abigail.
“How my sister doing”
“Could have been better”
After a little chatting, them telling Bells what had happened, Olly and Libba had joined them. Bells had his arm around Tally allowing her to lean into him a little for comfort.
“Olly can you contact Nicta at all”
With a little frown, he connects. Everyone hold their breath.
-Nicta-
- - Yes, Olly, i’m safe- -
Olly sits back against his hand, allowing him to feel relief on connecting with Nicta. But then a terrible feeling came over him. Is Raelle alive? He sat forward and connected again.
-Thank the goddess for that, i just heard about the explosion. Did Raelle and the others survive -
- - She is alive along with Beth and Toot, i can tell you there condition but there are all alive - -
- thank the goddess for that, and thank you for tell me, safe travels-
- - safe travels- -
With a deep breath Olly stood up onto one of the beds. Clear his throat so to, gets everyone's attention. Everyone slowly looks his way. And wait for him to talk.
“Cadet of Fort Salem, I have good news. I have just been in contact with a friend. That confirm, Beth, Toot and Raelle are alive. I am unsure in, want condition but, there will arrive shortly. The journey is a bit longer.”
Everyone stood there stunned. And all of a sudden, everyone began to cheer. Libba and Grey both hug each other, glad their friend had survived.
Abigail just watches as Tally leans over and kisses Bells. On the lips. Everyone slowly turns to that. Only Libba had the balls to do anything.
And with a clearing of their throats Bells and Tally moved apart. Stopping kissing each other. Both with a deep blush.
“I grateful you both finally did that, but Tally, he's my brother”
And a second wave of cheer and laugher filled the hall.